(WSIL) -- Multiple new Illinois laws aim to increase protections and access for health insurance consumers. Governor JB Pritzker signedHB4703, SB3910, and HB0836 into law Thursday.
The signed bills include:
- HB4703-Amends the Illinois Insurance Code and addresses surprise medical billing by building on the federal No Surprises Act. The new law grants the Illinois Department of Insurance additional authority to assist consumers who were billed at out-of-network rates after unknowingly or mistakenly receiving care from hospitals, doctors and other providers that they believed were in-network.
- SB3910- Creates a disclosure requirement on health insurance and HMO member ID cards that easily identifies the regulatory entity that holds authority over the plan, any deductible or out-of-pocket maximum applicable to the plan, as well as a phone number or website a cardholder may go to for additional plan information. The bill also allows the Department of Insurance to enforce the ID card transparency requirements that the federal No Surprises Act added to Section 2799A-1(e) of the Public Health Service Act.
- HB0836- Creates the Health Insurance Coverage Premium Misalignment Study Act. The Department of Insurance will oversee a study to explore rate setting approaches that may yield a misalignment of premiums across different tiers of coverage in Illinois' individual health insurance market. The study will produce cost estimates for Illinois residents, along with the impact of the policy on health insurance affordability and access. It will examine the uninsured rates for low-income and middle-income residents with break-out data by geography, race, ethnicity, and income level.
“Healthcare is a right—not a privilege, and surprise medical billing further deters Illinoisans from getting the care they need,”�said Governor JB Pritzker. “Since day one, my administration has worked to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare. We capped the price of insulin, reduced the Medicaid backlog, and enacted the Health Care Affordability Act. I am proud to sign these bills into law to further that crucial work and ensure consumers are protected in the medical billing process.”�
